In Alabama congressional races, incumbents stay safe

Despite incessant worrying over what Donald Trump-anti-incumbent-fueled voter turnout would mean at the polls, all members of the Alabama congressional delegation managed to hold on to their seats in Tuesday’s primary election.

U.S. Senate

Republican Richard Shelby, who was first elected to the Senate in 1986, faced challenges from four Republican opponents. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Shelby won by over 35 points. His closest opponent former Marine Capt. Jonathan McConnell garnered only 28 percent of the vote to Shelby’s 65 percent, with all other challengers taking only about 8 percent of the vote.

On the Democratic side, business owner Shadrack McGill, who served in the state Senate from 2010 and 2014, and challengers John Martin, Marcus Bowmanand Ron Crumptonfaced off also in hopes of unseating Shelby, with Crumpton taking home the Democratic nomination, winning 56 percent of the vote.

U.S. House of Representatives

AL-01

Former state senator U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrnesecured his first full term in office after defeating challenger Dean Young. Byrne, first elected to Congress in a special election in 2013, took home 60 percent of the vote, with 100 percent of precincts reporting.

First elected to the House in 2003, former Calhoun County commissioner U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers defeated longtime Auburn public school administrator Larry DiChiara to represent the 3rd District, which covers east-central Alabama. Rogers won 76 percent of the vote to DiChiara 24 percent.

Standing between Rogers and his eighth term in Congress is Jesse Smith. Smith, a Phenix City native, was was unchallenged for the Democratic nomination.

Third term Congressman Rep. Mo Brooks, who represents Alabama’s 5th District — encompassing the counties of Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Morgan and most of Jackson — was un-opposed.

AL-06

Co-founder and former longtime president of the Alabama Policy Institute, U.S. Congressman Gary Palmer, was un-opposed. Palmer is Alabama’s newest Congressman and first elected in 2014 to represent portions of Birmingham, nearly all of Jefferson County outside of Birmingham, and the entirety of Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Colbert, Coosa and Shelby counties.

AL-07

Alabama’s lone Democratic representative, Terri Sewell, who assumed office in 2011 was un-opposed. Her district encompasses portions of Birmingham,Tuscaloosa and Montgomery.

Alabama Today will be the first place Alabamians of influence go for an inside look at breaking statewide, political and business news. Led by Apryl Marie Fogel, a political activist with over a decade of experience, the Alabama Today team includes freelance news reporters, as well as guest columnists from around the state.